NBD : The Storm in the clouds. (Well, actually NOT)

[Supermofo]

Well done matey, that's a great buy at 1200 quid and as you say at that price who cares if it gets wet/dirty which is liberating enough to possibly see you using it more. If I'd have had that in the garage I'd have used it a few days the other week when on Jury Service as wouldn't have worried too much about salt or it getting pinched. Enjoy.

Mine made 101bhp but I'd asked the bloke to remove the midrange flat spot it had as standard and make it run nice rather than make best power. 2nd gear corner exits are epic on a Firestorm.

They defo have 6 gears.

[weeksy]

Well in the cold light of morning I decided it was a daft idea as I sat drinking coffee thinking "when would I actually ride it. The answer being, never.
It was a good idea but the reality is, I'm not going to go out riding in an evening after work, or a Sunday at 6am for 150 miles into Wales.

I'm sure the seller is now calling me lots of names. But not a lot I can do about that bit now.

[Bustaspoke]

You'll probably find time to get back on a motorbike again at some point.
I had 12 years were the motorbike hardly got used as on my days off work I was always out mountainbiking or out on the road bike.
The lowest mileage I clocked up was 67 miles between MOT's,& it's 15 miles each way from here to the MOT shop,I think the XT600 had 18 months between fuel stops & the FZ750 was on a SORN..
I resolved the problem in 2017 by having a 3 month sabatical from work,at the end of which the XT600 expired

[Supermofo]

Don't sweat it, plenty more 1500 quid bikes in the bay if you change your mind.

In the late 80s early 90s my Dad must have nearly bought about 20 bikes, even putting deposits down etc and about to pick them up before changing his mind.

[Skub]

Has 6 speed box apparently.

Manufacturer Honda
Also called SuperHawk, Firestorm
Production 1997–2005
Class Sport bike
Engine 996 cc (60.8 cu in) l/c 90° V-twin
Bore / stroke 98.0 mm × 66.0 mm (3.86 in × 2.60 in)
Compression ratio 9.4:1
Top speed 155 mph (249 km/h)
Power 116 hp (87 kW) (rear wheel)
Torque 64.9 lb⋅ft (88.0 N⋅m) (rear wheel)
Ignition type Computer-controlled digital transistorized with electronic advance
Transmission 6-speed manual, chain final drive
Suspension Front: 41mm H.M.A.S. cartridge-type fork with adjustable spring preload and rebound damping, 109mm axle travel
Rear: Pro-Link with preload and rebound damping-adjustable gas-charged H.M.A.S. damper, 124mm axle travel
Brakes Front: Dual 296 mm discs, 4-piston Nissin calipers
Rear: Single 220 mm disc, single-piston caliper
Tires Front: 120/70-ZR17 (58W) (Radial)
Rear: 180/55-ZR17 (73W) (Radial)
Wheelbase 1,430 mm (56 in)
Seat height 810 mm (32 in)
Weight 426 lb (193 kg). (dry)
472 lb (214 kg)[2] (wet)

[Dodgy69]

Well, the storm has passed, but I reckon they'll be another before summer arrives. Even if it's for a once a month ride, it's there if you fancy it, ain't gonna lose money and there's that garage space that needs filling.

If I see a cheap cracker I might just post it up.

[Demannu]

Check for manual CCT conversion.
The early storms had a habit of losing tension with consequential damage ensuing.
One I rode spent most of it's time with the front wheel in the air, sometimes my choice, sometimes not!
The small tank can be emptied in 80 miles if giving it some stick btw!
Nice bikes.

Ah! Didnt see page 2

Ignore all the above then.

[cheb]

At least we'll know how little he'll take for it, and the less another £100 because he'll be pissed off and want to see it gone.

That's a bag then as the opening offer. Have you got two ebay accounts?

[weeksy]

if you've got any sort of emotion in it?

That's where your post falls apart

I'd have to have/feel emotional attachment to something. I say that only half in jest and half in truth... I just don't do that sort of thing mate.

I could honestly easily buy that Storm and i expect the owner would still sell me it at the price, the problem i have though is that i don't know it'd ever move other than me justifying the purchase to myself. Am i actually going to get out of bed on a random Sunday that we're not off racing, jump on the bike and go for a ride... Mmmm i'm struggling to say yes to that. I sit here and think "yeah, course I would" but then reality sets in and i'd likely not. The only fly in that ointment is the fact it's not brand new nor immaculate which would potentially make the possibility higher than with previous bikes. But part of me can't shake the idea that it's not a terrible thought.

[Supermofo]

Spring proper/summer will let you know if you want one or not. If you're not missing it when the sun is shining and there's the sound of bikes in the air then (you're weird ) you'll know for sure if you want one. At the moment you're not missing much, it's bloody horrible out.

[weeksy]

The trick here is to find a bike that you really want, that won't lose money, then buy it and stick it in the garage, if you don't ride it very much, or even for a year or two at a time, it doesn't matter. I have two bikes and a Landrover Defender (oh and now a Caterham) that fit that bill, I doubt all of them combined are going to see more than 1,500 miles a year, but they're all still worth what I paid or more.

What about retro MTBs if you want a hobby?
I don't know if you have any nostalgia for that stuff, but back in the 90's I was proper into MTBs and always wanted an Orange P7, so about fifteen years ago I bought a brand new one, it'll never get sold, very lightly used in complete original condition except tyres, even just owning it gives me pleasure and I fettle it now and then to keep it oiled up, etc.
You could buy stuff like that and do it up if you've got any sort of emotion in it?

In terms of the above, my youth was spent on a golf-course. So something like this Tony Penna persimmon driver would be the RD350 equivalent for me.I bet @wull likes a nice old school wood too.



Or even a set of Ben Hogan irons



That'd be my 'nostalgia' but i don't play golf any more.... Me and the boy had a wee flurry of it, but then bikes took over completely. So i bought some nice Ping irons and some old school Taylor Made woods... but after 4-5 sessions, it kinda faded away for him.

[mangocrazy]

Has 6 speed box apparently.

Manufacturer Honda
Also called SuperHawk, Firestorm
Production 1997–2005

Top speed 155 mph (249 km/h)
Power 116 hp (87 kW) (rear wheel)
Torque 64.9 lb⋅ft (88.0 N⋅m) (rear wheel)

Somebody's telling porkies there. That figure has to be at the crank, and then probably only on a blueprinted factory special. The Firestorm's trump card was always its midrange grunt, which is what V-twins should be all about.

[Supermofo]

Has 6 speed box apparently.

Manufacturer Honda
Also called SuperHawk, Firestorm
Production 1997–2005

Top speed 155 mph (249 km/h)
Power 116 hp (87 kW) (rear wheel)
Torque 64.9 lb⋅ft (88.0 N⋅m) (rear wheel)

Somebody's telling porkies there. That figure has to be at the crank, and then probably only on a blueprinted factory special. The Firestorm's trump card was always its midrange grunt, which is what V-twins should be all about.

Yup mine was 101bhp. I've heard of some being around 105 but not much more. It was fast enough but not really fast.

[Skub]

In terms of the above, my youth was spent on a golf-course. So something like this Tony Penna persimmon driver would be the RD350 equivalent for me.I bet @wull likes a nice old school wood too.

When we cleared out my BIL's house after he was killed,there were bags full of old wooden clubs like that in his roofspace.. No one wanted them,so I took them to the dump.

[Couchy]

I can see it not being used but at £1200 now it’s £1500 in the summer so you won’t lose money even if you insure it. If it sits there you have the option to use it, if it doesn’t you don’t. Much as I can see why you didn’t do the deal I can see why it makes sense to have it sat there

[weeksy]

I can see it not being used but at £1200 now it’s £1500 in the summer so you won’t lose money even if you insure it. If it sits there you have the option to use it, if it doesn’t you don’t. Much as I can see why you didn’t do the deal I can see why it makes sense to have it sat there

Yeah i'm slightly torn still, but i think for now i'll pass. It's a good idea and concept but i'm still not convinced the reality exists currently.

[Mr Moofo]

Just get it bought
And like everything else, you can sell it in a week or twos time. And give us a huge amount of entertainment:-)

[Taipan]

Wasnt it high mileage? Must be better out there anyway. The only thing wrong with high mileage bikes is selling them!

[weeksy]

Wasnt it high mileage? Must be better out there anyway. The only thing wrong with high mileage bikes is selling them!

40k on the clocks. There's better and lower out there yes... but not for £1200 Everything is relative of course, but you're looking £1800-3000 for a lower 20k mile one.

[Bigyin]

Maybe it has 6. The Mk1 Varadero only had 5 and was carbed. I assumed the 'Storm only had five too.

Oh the pre-2001 (or is it 2002) got a tiny tiny fuel tank to feed those massive carbs. If touring you'll need to keep an eye on the range.

@G.P said 110 miles on smaller tank model. That's perfectly fine for me. But yes it's a small tank version

I once filled up my ZX6R at a service station on the M6 heading north to visit parents and a bloke on a Firestorm was doing the same ....after the usual "hello, where you off to" chat we both left at the same time and ended up riding together. After about 90 miles, as i knew Firestorms were notorious for short range, i pulled alongside and pointed to petrol tank on his bike and got a cheery thumbs up from him so dropped back again...... 2 minutes later he pulled into the hard shoulder and a silent engine. Turns out he had never done a long run on it before so didnt know the range as he always used to chuck a few quid in at home every couple of days and all his other bikes managed 120+ miles.

He asked for a push but i knew it was about 10 miles till the next petrol and didnt fancy the resulting sore leg from pushing a pillion peg so i rode there, got a 5L can bungeed on the back and rode back instead